Many guests at a Karva Chauth party were proud of the fact that their husbands would also be fasting with them
If a family that eats together stays together, what then can be said for a family that fasts together? This Karva Chauth, it’s not just the women who are waking up at the crack of dawn and fasting for their husband’s long life, men too are giving them company.
From getting their mehendi done to shopping for new clothes, ladies from different walks of life gathered together at Manisha Kapoor’s Karva Chauth bash, which was complete with Punjabi dhols, manjis and music. And yes, there were a few happy wives who proudly admitted that this Karva Chauth their better halves would also be fasting with them.
Husbands who fast: Deepashree and Arkadip Wadia, IT professionals, have been married for two years and the couple is already a cause of jealousy among their friends. “Fasting together is quite empowering. Even though it is a challenge, when you do something out of love, it’s always a cake-walk. We keep motivating each other all day long and the love one experiences after such a sacrifice makes one forget that we haven’t had water or food all day,” says Arkadip, adding, “My friends are always amazed when they come to know I fast too. The ladies point at us and set us as an example for their husbands to follow.”
Deepashree, on the other hand, is more than happy to have her husband accompany her. “I used to fast even when I was single, with my mum; but when I started dating Arkadip, he started fasting with me. He wakes up with me, has sargi (vermicelli pudding that women have early in the morning before observing the fast) and then we spend time together, watch a movie or do something to take our minds off the fact that we won’t be able to eat. We also take leave from work on this day, it’s less taxing,” she says.
“This time, we might just go for a spa session followed by a romantic dinner once the moon comes out,” adds Arkadip. Aanchal Aggarwal, who was spotted at the party, has been married to her husband, businessman Sahil Bansal, for five years and the mother of one proudly admits that her husband has been fasting with her for the past two years.
“There’s no separate day for men to show their love for their wives, so I do it on Karva Chauth. And it makes it easier for my wife to fast when she knows I am fasting too,” says Sahil, adding, “It does get difficult to stay without food or water; but the smile on my wife’s face is reward enough for me.”
Visitors and ‘veterans’
Present at the celebration was Sushila Bokadia, who has been fasting for her husband’s long life for the past 25 years, and even Megha Aggarwal, an unmarried young graduate, who is also fasting. “I am from Mumbai and I got married and shifted to Hyderabad where people don’t generally observe Karva Chauth,” says Sushila, who turned up in the perfect Karva Chauth attire, complete with a sieve that women use on the day to look at their husbands after seeing the moon. “Everybody, especially the women from places where the celebration doesn’t take place, were excited to see what I was carrying and they also had a lot of questions for me,” she added.
There were also quite a few South Indian wives. “My knowledge about this festival is restricted to what I have been seeing in Bollywood films,” says Srividya, who attended her first Karva Chauth party with her mother Rajyalakshmi. She adds, “I have never fasted, but it’s quite exciting to watch what women do on this day.”
